/
CH 099 MY BROTHER’S PLACE
Next day.
After breakfast, Jiang Chen and He Qianmin went to the folk artisan street yesterday to buy gifts for his parents and the He family, and then went straight to the airport. They arrived at the He family’s old family house just in time for lunch.
Before stepping through the gate, Jiang Chen saw He Qianyang sitting by the door eating roasted sweet potatoes. He was squatting by the door wearing a military jacket and a cap with ear flaps, completely different from the fashionable clothes he wore on his birthday in July.
“Yo! You’re back, lil’ bro!” He Qianyang waved a sweet potato to greet them when he heard the movement. His breath was quickly misted by the cold air, and looked like he was swallowing a cloud: “Do you want to eat? It’s nice and hot.”
Jiang Chen paused, then turned to look at He Qianmin.
He Qianmin lowered his voice and leaned into Jiang Chen’s ear: “He’s always like this at home, don’t pay attention to him.”
“What are you two whispering about?” He Qianyang stood up, took out two sweet potatoes from his coat pocket, and stuffed them into Jiang Chen and He Qianmin’s hands: “Warm your hands, I’ll help you carry your luggage, what goodies did you bring back?”
“Some simple gifts.” Jiang Chen was having a hard time adapting to He Qianyang’s huge change between summer and winter, and he stepped back unconsciously with the sweet potato: “There are not many things, I can just carry them in myself.”
“What carry it yourself, you don’t think of me as a brother?” He Qianyang took over his suitcase, stuffed the half-eaten roasted sweet potato into Jiang Chen’s other hand, and rubbed the hand with the aroma of sweet potato still clinging to it on Jiang Chen’s head: “Help your brother hold it, thanks. A younger brother must listen to his big brother’s words. Go, let’s go in.”
Jiang Chen froze in place, He Qianmin suppressed the corners of his mouth which were tugging up in amusement, “Brother, shall we go in?”
“He Qianyang has always been like this?” Jiang Chen asked.
He Qianmin thought for a while: “On and off, it’s probably because Uncle and the others told him of your identity, and it’s because he is naturally familiar with people. It should be fine after a while.”
“What are you teo talking about?” He Qianyang walked halfway, turned around and said, “Are you two speaking ill of your brother behind his back?”
He Qianmin rolled his eyes at him, “You’re so annoying! We’re coming!”
“Hurry up! What are you dawdling for!”
Jiang Chen and He Qianmin walked side by side behind He Qianyang, seeing him humming softly in a good mood. He Qianmin turned his head slightly, leaned close to Jiang Chen, covered his mouth and said: “Every time he does this, someone will be unlucky, Brother, be careful.”
“What do you mean?” Jiang Chen was curious.
He Qianmin: “As soon as he is in a good mood, someone will be unfortunate.”
“Unfortunate how?”
“It’s hard to say.” He Qianmin shrugged his shoulders, lowered his voice and said meaningfully to Jiang Chen: “You’ll find out later.”
“Chen Chen and Min Min are back!”
When He Qianyang raised his voice, Jiang Chen and He Qianmin stopped and looked at each other.
“You’re back?” Old Mrs. He and Yang Yun greeted them, saw them standing at the door, and immediately each grabbed one boy: “Come in quickly, is it cold outside?”
Jiang Chen smiled: “It’s not cold.”
Jiang Chen was led by Yang Yun to sit down on the sofa. There were so many people in the living room that there was only a loveseat sofa left. He Qianmin sat next to him, and He Qianyang also came over after putting down the luggage.
“Where’s my sweet potato?”
Jiang Chen handed the sweet potato that he had been holding to He Qianyang, and after He Qianyang took it, he sat on the other side of Jiang Chen very naturally. Originally, two people sitting on a loveseat sofa was just right, but when three people sat down on it, it became a bit crowded.
“Why are you squeezing together with your younger brothers?” A handsome woman with short hair raised her eyebrows and said, “I’m telling you, He Qianyang, don’t stir up any trouble, and especially not bully your two younger brothers, you hear me?”
“Isn’t there no other seat?” He Qianyang squeezed Jiang Chen again righteously, “And what do you mean by bullying my younger brothers? This is called a loving education. I must treat Chen Chen and Min Min equally. Grandma, don’t you think so?”
“Yes, yes, yes.” Old Mrs. He said with a smile: “The brothers just want to be affectionate with each other. See how the three of them sit together, especially Chen Chen and Yang Yang, they seem to be carved out of the same mold.”
He Qianyang hooked an arm around Jiang Chen’s neck, and leaned towards old Mrs. He: “Are we very alike?”
“Very alike.” The old lady touched the faces of the two: “Aiyoh, you are both my good grandsons, so handsome.”
He Qianyang raised his chin: “He Qianmin is just lacking when compared to us, right?”
“What’s wrong with Min Min?” Old Mrs. He scolded him: “Your younger brother’s little dimple when he smiles is unbelievably adorable, just like Chen Chen.”
“So it seems Chen Chen has become the best-looking template in our family.” He Qianyang pretended to be dissatisfied, “Before, you kept saying that I was the most handsome grandson, but now you have changed your mind, right?”
“Nonsense, you are still also grandma’s most handsome grandson.” Old Mrs. He smiled from ear to ear: “You and Chen Chen, Min Min are the most handsome boys in grandma’s heart. There is no one in this world who is more handsome than the three of you.”
“Before, I always thought that child from the Shi family was the most good-looking.” The handsome short-haired woman smiled and said, “Now seeing Chen Chen, I feel that our Chen Chen is even more good-looking.”
“Chen Chen is good-looking, but Xiao Shi is even more good-looking. I don’t know how he grew up, he is like an exquisite doll.” Yang Yun said with a smile: “When Qian Min saw him for the first time when he was young, he asked me if he was an elf prince from a fairy tale.”
“When did that happen?” He Qianmin clicked his tongue, dissatisfied: “I was still young at that time, and I never saw Shi Fengyue’s parents, so I thought that he came out of an egg and said that. It doesn’t matter what he looks like, okay?”
“You thought elves come out of eggs?” He Qianyang laughed.
He Qianmin: “I said I was still young at that time!”
“Xiao Shi looks like his mother.” Old Mrs. He followed Yang Yun’s words and said with a smile: “His mother was so beautiful. When she first came to our compound, all the young men came out to see her. Loitering at the door and refusing to leave. After living for so many years, I have only seen such a beautiful girl as Xiao Shi’s mother. Just sitting there she was like a beautiful painting.”
Just as Jiang Chen was about to pull off He Qianyang’s arm, he paused when he heard old Mrs. He’s words. The old lady didn’t continue after she said this, and Yang Yun also changed the topic with a smile: “We got lost in chatting as soon as you came in, Chen Chen hasn’t seen your Aunt yet, right.”
Jiang Chen looked at the handsome woman, and said with a smile, “Aunt.”
“What a good child.” Jiang Yiyuan smiled and handed a small box to Jiang Chen: “I don’t know what to give you when we meet for the first time. I heard that you are going to Hua University and I happened to have an apartment near the university.”
Jiang Chen paused the hand that was about to take over the box, and said, “This is too precious.”
“It’s nothing, just take it, it’s a gift from your aunt.” He Qianyang directly took the box for Jiang Chen, took out the keys and stuffed it into Jiang Chen’s pocket, saying with a smirk in a low voice: “You will know when you find a girlfriend the benefits of having a house outside.”
“What are you talking about! I told you not to be a bad influence on your younger brother.” Jiang Yiyuan slapped He Qianyang on the head: “Don’t listen to him.”
“Do you have a girlfriend?” He Qianyang didn’t care about being beaten by his mom, and turned to ask Jiang Chen.
“No.”
“That’s not good, where’s that flare I had from back then.” He Qianyang clicked his tongue: “But it’s okay, when you go to college, brother will introduce you to some girls.”
“No need.” Jiang Chen twitched the corner of his mouth, “I don’t need it.”
“Then you want a boyfriend?” He Qianyang frowned in difficulty: “That’s also okay, as long as you like it, brother can also
..”
“Also what!” He Yanjun heard this sentence as soon as he came downstairs, and slapped him on the back of the head: “What did your brother say?”
“What can I say?” He Qianyang hid behind Jiang Chen: “Brother is doing this for your sake, please help me to say something nice.”
Jiang Chen pushed He Qianyang’s hand away, and pushed him in He Yanjun’s direction: “Uncle, he said he would introduce a boyfriend to me.”
“Boyfriend!” He Yanjun’s expression changed, and several hits landed instantly.
“I’m in college and you still hit me!” He Qianyang said while dodging: “I was wrong, Dad, I was just joking! It was really a joke! Aren’t I trying to cultivate a relationship with my younger brother?”
“Do you make jokes like this to cultivate feelings?” He Yanjun chased him and said, “If your younger brother really takes a detour then, see if I don’t beat you to death!”
Jiang Chen calmly watched He Qianyang jump up and down, and He Qianmin gave a thumbs up: “Brother, you are the best.”
“All right, all right, stop making trouble.” Jiang Yiyuan was used to this scene, “It’s time to eat, the food is all ready.”
“Let’s go.” He Qianmin pulled Jiang Chen up, but halfway there, he suddenly remembered something, and said, “Why don’t I see He Qianjian? I was wondering why I was so happy just now. The atmosphere is different without him.”
Yang Yun was walking behind them, and when she heard this, she turned to look for him: “Qian Jian is still in the living room just now, Mom will go to look for him, you go to the dining room first.”
“What’s wrong?” Jiang Yiyuan and He Yanya walked up from behind and asked Yang Yun when they saw Yang Yun returning.
Yang Yun lowered her voice: “Qian Jian is gone.”
Jiang Yiyuan was taken aback, and said: “He should have gone upstairs by himself, I’ll send someone upstairs to call him down.”
“I’ll go upstairs and find him.” Yang Yun said.
“What’s wrong?” He Yanfeng and old Mr. He also walked over.
“Qian Jian seems to be upstairs, I’ll go call him to come down to eat.”
Old Mr. He frowned: “Go.”
When everyone at the table was seated, Yang Yun and He Qianjian walked into the dining room.
Old Mr. He glanced at him mildly, “Have a seat.”
He Qianjian stood where he was, his eyes sweeping over Jiang Chen who was sitting in his original position, and he didn’t move.
“Qian Min, move a seat to the side.” He Yanfeng said lightly.
The table in the He family dining room was a big round table, and they usually sit in order of seniority. At this time, except for Jiang Chen sitting in the position where He Qianjian sat before, the other positions have not changed. But He Qianjian was not there just now and He Qianmin, who should have moved one seat back, did not reserve a place for him.
He Qianmin called the home worker auntie: “Auntie, please put a chair there.” He was referring to the place next to He Qianyu.
He Qianjian said: “You are sitting in my place.” He couldn’t get in direct conflict with Jiang Chen, it didn’t mean he couldn’t either with He Qianmin. On the contrary, if he kept giving in, old Mr. He would only look down on him.
“When did I take your place?” The smile on He Qianmin’s face disappeared, and his expression darkened as he said word by word: “You have been taking my brother’s place all this time.”